The Fragile Web
by BloodRaevynn
Summary: After leaving Hyrule to prevent a time paradox, Link rescues a half-drowned, amnesiac boy who turns out to be Sheik. Includes an explaination for how Sheik and Zelda could be separate people, without contradicting the facts in the game or bashing Zelda.
1. Prologue

Well, I wrote a Zelda fic. Being me, it is, naturally, Yaoi. Yes, it's a Link/Sheik.  
  
I'm ignoring the existence of Majora's Mask, because I don't know anything about it. you can't really write something you know nothing about, right? Also, supposedly, once Link went back to his real time, the future where he fought Gannondorf ceased to exist; I'm ignoring this too, for obvious reasons; so you can think of it like the timeline diverged at the end of OoT.  
  
I am _not_ going to bash Zelda, I have absolutely nothing against her; yes, she's relatively useless, yes, she tends to be the stereotypical "damsel in distress", but it's not like it's _her_ fault!  
  
Finally; this story will be an actual adventure story, it won't be entirely centered around getting Link and Sheik together (I have higher standards than that), and there will be some original characters.  
  
Disclaimers:  
  
Only my characters are mine; if you've actually played the game, you should be able to tell the difference.  
  
I'm not making any money off of this, sadly, because if I were, I could save it up and buy "Animation: Master".  
  
Don't bother trying to sue me, you'll only get $5.58, a Pilot G-2 gel pen, a Goody comb, a handful of vacation pamphlets, a Spring 2002 Sailing Schedule for The Washington State Ferry (from the last time we visited my dad's family), a Plasmadyne: Animation Science business card, and a half- empty bottle of Cocculus (homeopathic remedy for motion sickness).  
  
Warnings:  
  
Will have Yaoi, will have Yuri, but nothing graphic. Will have a little violence, maybe some language. Will have a few OCs. Will probably frustrate you with the slowness of the updates.  
  
~flashback/memory~  
  
~*~ scene break.  
  
The Fragile Web  
  
Prologue  
  
'I wonder what's going on in Hyrule,' Link thought. 'Things should really be going to hell right about now.' He sighed, felling a pang of guilt at not being able to help out, but Zelda had been very specific in that matter before closing the Door of Time.  
  
~"You'll have to leave Hyrule as soon as possible, you can't change the path time took; even if you're trying to help, you would only create a paradox, and that would be even more destructive than Gannondorf." Zelda smiled at him then. "You know already how things will turn out. Don't worry."~  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
Link came back to himself, realizing, to his chagrin, that he'd gotten so caught up reminiscing that he'd stopped walking altogether.  
  
"Sorry," he said, with a laugh. "I got a little caught up in my thoughts." His traveling companion regarded him seriously, before turning to face him fully.  
  
"You seemed sad," the boy stated. "So I'll reiterate: Is something wrong?"  
  
"I was just thinking of home," Link told the other blonde. "A little homesick, you know?" The other boy's crimson eyes clouded slightly.  
  
"No," The boy said softly, turning and continuing along the path. "I wouldn't know."  
  
"Smooth, Link." Navi commented, from Link's hat. "Real smooth."  
  
Link resisted the urge to whack his head against the nearest tree, settling for cuffing himself upside the head instead; then he ran to catch up.  
  
"Sorry! I wasn't thinking! That was insensitive of me." Link caught the other boy's arm. "I'm sorry, Sheik."  
  
"It's not like it's your fault," Sheik replied. "I'm lucky just to be alive; so loosing my memory is a small price to pay, I suppose."  
  
"Still..." Link sighed as they continued walking.  
  
"We've been traveling together for how long now?"  
  
"Um..." Link thought about it. "Seven months, I think...maybe eight... Why?"  
  
"You don't talk about your home or your family much," Sheik observed. "If you're homesick, why don't you go back?"  
  
"Well," Link said. "I kinda can't right now."  
  
"What? Are you in trouble or something?"  
  
"No, nothing like that...well, actually...sorta yes...but probably not the way you'd think... It's really complicated."  
  
"How much trouble can a twelve-year-old get into?" Sheik asked, amused.  
  
"You'd be surprised," Link said, shaking his head. "And I was ten when I left, actually."  
  
"This would be easier if I remembered what I used to know about you," Sheik said. "We're supposed to be best friends, right? But it's like I've only known you for these last three weeks."  
  
Link looked at his feet guiltily before responding. "Like you said, you're lucky to be alive; I'm just glad for that. You'll probably remember eventually."  
  
'Just don't remember too soon...please Sheik, not until Gannondorf has been defeated. Don't remember at all; I don't want you to hate me for lying to you...about everything...'  
  
A/N: Review onegai shimasu! Flames will be used to char marshmallows (yummy! sugar-charcoal!). 


	2. Chapter 1

The Fragile Web  
  
Chapter 01  
  
It was pure chance, really.  
  
Or maybe it was fate.  
  
When Link pulled the unconscious boy out of the river he couldn't help noticing the resemblance to Sheik, for all that this boy was five years younger and Link had only seen Sheik unmasked a grand total of twice [1]; the red eyes, when Link checked to see if the pupils dilated only served to bolster his suspicion. Red eyes were almost completely unique to the Sheikah, and blonde hair was rare for them; usually the Sheikah had white, black, or gray hair [2].  
  
Because the boy obviously had a concussion, there wasn't much Link could do but feed him medicine, broth, water, keep him warm, and hope he woke up; which he did, after two days, but with no memories whatsoever.  
  
But this still left Link with a problem; he may well have created a paradox by saving Sheik's life.  
  
~*~  
  
~"Zelda?"  
  
"Hm?" The princess smiled sadly as she leaned back against Link's chest; tomorrow he would be returning to his own time. Yes, she would probably see him again soon, but for him it will have been seven years.  
  
"I was wondering.before I go; could you play your harp for me again?"  
  
"Link." Zelda sighed, turning in his arms; this was the subject she had been avoiding even thinking about. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him; unsurprised at the lack of passion this time. "It's not the same, is it? It's different than before."  
  
Link nodded, confused.  
  
"I'm sorry," He said. Zelda shook her head, smiling.  
  
"It's the same for me," She replied. "I care for you deeply, but the passion that was there while I was Sheik is completely gone.  
  
"You see," She stepped back, out of his embrace, and clasped her hands behind her back. "I don't play the harp, I don't know how; that was Sheik's skill, as well as many of the others I used then. Now that I am no longer Sheik, I no longer have his skills."  
  
"I don't understand." Link said, eyes wide.  
  
"It was much more than a Glamour that disguised me, Link; to an extent, I was a different person." Zelda's expression saddened. "I wasn't originally supposed to be the one to meet you. There was a boy in the village that I was hiding in, it was Sheik, and he was the one destined to guide you in your quest. One day he saved one of the younger children in the village from drowning, but he was caught by the current and he drowned instead. Still, someone needed to guide you, someone with his knowledge and skills; so the elders called his soul and temporarily merged it with my own, they also tied it to the Glamour, so that it took his form, and also so that once I cast off the Glamour his soul would be released from me."  
  
"So.Sheik was real." Link looked away, as tears stung his eyes. "But he's dead."  
  
"I'm sorry, Link," Zelda brushed a tear from his cheek. "Perhaps I should not have told you; you could have gone on your way thinking it was me all along, and by the time we met again, your feelings would have faded, and maybe you would have found someone else..."  
  
"No," Link said. "I'm glad you told me."  
  
"He _did_ love you." Zelda said. "Even if it was only part of him in me, I know his feelings for you were real, because mine aren't the same."~  
  
~*~  
  
It was definitely a good thing that Sheik had lost his memories, that way he didn't know where he came from; there was just the little problem of keeping him from trying to find out.  
  
"Yeah," Link said, in answer to the other boy's question. "I know you; your name's Sheik; we've been traveling together for a while, we're pretty much best friends by now. I guess you've got amnesia from hitting your head; you were out for two days, I was afraid you wouldn't make it."  
  
"Where am I from?"  
  
"I'm not really sure; we just kinda ran into each other out here. You're a Sheikah, that much I know, but you didn't talk a lot about your past; which is fair, since I didn't talk about mine much either."  
  
"I see." Sheik took in his surroundings. "Where are we?"  
  
"A few miles east of the Kingdom of Hyrule."  
  
"Were we going somewhere in particular?"  
  
"Wherever we want." Link smiled mischievously at the other boy. "I'm pretty sure some adventure or another will find us before long. That's kinda the way things are for me." Link noticed that Navi was glaring at him from his shoulder; he'd explain things to her later. "Oh yeah, this is my fairy, Navi."  
  
"A fairy.are you from the Kokiri forest? [3]"  
  
"I was raised there, but I'm Hylian; the Kokiri stay as children, and they'll die if they leave their forest." Sheik nodded.  
  
"Are we going to leave soon?" Sheik asked.  
  
"Jeez, you woke up, what? Five minutes ago? And you already want us to be on our way?" Link rolled his eyes. "I doubt you're up for it. Let's wait a couple days, this area's safe enough, and then we'll take it easy the first few days until your stamina's back up, okay?" The other boy nodded. "Good." Link looked around for a good excuse so that he could talk to Navi alone. " Um, I should probably go find some more firewood; we probably have enough for tonight, but it's better to be sure." Link got up without another word and headed for a clump of trees out of earshot of Sheik.  
  
"What are you _doing_, Link?!" Navi protested. "I've never heard you tell such a pack of lies!"  
  
"If he _is_ Sheik, and I'm almost positive that he is, he _can't_ go back where he came from! The only way that he won't go looking for his home is if he believes that there's a reason he's out here, and that he's far away from home. You know what Zelda said about paradoxes, and we'd be creating one if we let him go back; assuming we didn't _already_ create one by saving him."  
  
"Who's _we_?" Navi snapped. "_I_ wasn't the one who charged into a river!"  
  
"Well, it's not like I could just leave him there!" Link sighed, having developed a sudden headache. "Look, he's here and I've already told him that we're friends; it's not like I'm going to be able to change that now, and I don't particularly _want_ to. So I lied? So what?"  
  
"He'll find out, you know." Navi said. "It may be only a few lies now, but you will have to continue to lie until you've spun a web of deception around him to keep him from seeing what is real; a web of lies is fragile, and will eventually be broken, either by contradiction or by truth."  
  
"I know. I just hope that it doesn't happen until we're too far away from Hyrule for him to interfere; and I hope he can forgive me when he does find out."  
  
A/N: So, how did you like my (relatively) un-contradictory explanation? I promise to get to the actual plot by the next chapter or the one after that.  
  
1. Obviously my own contrivance.  
  
2. Okay, this is also entirely my own little thing. What do I know? The only Sheikah I've seen are Impa and Sheik; I could be completely wrong.  
  
3. As will be illustrated further in later chapters, though Sheik doesn't remember his identity or where he is from, his knowledge is intact; this is not unusual for people with amnesia. The Sheik in my story knows a great deal of Lore, and is not really much of a fighter. 


	3. Chapter 2

Okay, this starts a day or two after the prologue.  
  
The Fragile Web  
  
Chapter 02  
  
Link and Sheik reached the village of Nanai just before sundown.  
  
"This is _great_!" Link enthused. "It feels like it's been a _year_ since the last time I slept in an actual _bed_!" Link stopped, blinking, as something occurred to him. "Actually...I think it _has_ been a year. Let's find an inn!"  
  
As Link ran off in pursuit of a bed, Sheik's attention was taken by an instrument shop.  
  
"Huh? Sheik?" Link came back when he realized his friend wasn't following him.  
  
"You go ahead and find the inn; I'll catch up in a minute." Sheik said.  
  
"Okay." Link started to go, but Sheik's voice stopped him.  
  
"Link?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you know if...I kind of remember...playing a harp..."  
  
"Oh...yeah, I probably should have mentioned it," Link said. "You did, but you lost your harp with your other stuff when you fell in the river." In truth, Link had not been sure if Sheik had already learned to play the harp or not.  
  
Link thought for a minute, then took out his wallet, took enough Rupies to cover a room at the inn, and handed the wallet to Sheik. "There should be more than enough to cover getting another harp," Link said; Sheik looked hesitant. "It might help you get your memories back! Go ahead!" He pushed the wallet into Sheik's hands and took off to find the inn.  
  
~*~  
  
When Sheik came into their room at the inn with his new harp, he found Link sitting on one of the beds looking very close to tears.  
  
"You heard?" Sheik asked.  
  
Link nodded slowly. "Hyrule Castle has fallen to Gannondorf. Even though I knew this would happen, it still came as a shock."  
  
"Link, what's going on?" Sheik asked.  
  
"I told you, it's complicated," Link said, drawing his legs up and resting his forehead on his knees.  
  
"I have time to listen." Sheik said, sitting down on the other bed.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it; please respect that."  
  
"Very well." Sheik took out his harp and began playing a melody.  
  
"I haven't heard that one before."  
  
"I think I made it up," Sheik said. "Of course, I could be wrong."  
  
"It's nice." Link said. There was a knock at the door. "That'll be dinner. Could you..?" Sheik put down the harp and went to get the door.  
  
~*~  
  
They left early the next morning. Link wasn't comfortable hearing everyone talking about the Fall of Hyrule, his guilt multiplied every time he heard it mentioned.  
  
Sheik followed along silently, watching his morose companion with concern. There were so many questions he wanted to ask; even if he didn't respect Link's wish to not get into the subject, he wouldn't know where to start.  
  
Navi had vanished a few minutes in, muttering about bad company and talking to rocks, though Sheik was sure he had seen her flying overhead amidst the trees. He was proven right when Navi suddenly dropped down.  
  
"Something's coming!"  
  
"What is it?" Link asked. But Navi didn't get a chance to answer before a person crashed through the bushes and fell at Link's feet, gasping for breath.  
  
The man was well built and had dark skin and hair. His clothes were ragged and bloodstained and he clutched a short sword in one hand.  
  
"Are you alright?" Sheik asked, kneeling beside the man to check his condition; it wasn't good. The man's eyes fixed on Link, who was standing directly behind Sheik, and he stretched out the sword to him.  
  
"Protect the sword!" The man cried, in a choked voice. "Take it to Alua! Don't let _her_ have it!!" Then the man lurched to his feet and stumbled back into the undergrowth.  
  
"Wait!" Sheik called after him. Sheik looked up at Link, helplessly. "He'll die!"  
  
"You saw his injuries," Link said. "We couldn't have saved him anyway."  
  
"We could have _tried_!"  
  
"It was more important to him to pass the sword to someone else," Link replied. "I'm guessing that he was being chased. He's counting on 'her' following him, and giving us time to get to Alua.whatever _that_ is."  
  
"We should get out of here," Navi said.  
  
~*~  
  
Alua, as they discovered at the next village two days later, was a temple. The villagers all said that there wasn't much known about it, except that those who guarded it were fierce warriors and outsiders weren't welcome.  
  
"I doubt that will be a problem." Sheik said. "That man was probably delivering them the sword; we'll just give it to them and go on our way."  
  
"Yeah, right." Link snorted. "Things are _never_ that simple, I promise you."  
  
Alua was located a week's journey north of the village; it was nestled in the base of a mountain.  
  
The temple was in sight when they found out who "she" was.  
  
~*~  
  
"Would you _please_ calm down!" Sheik said, in exasperation. "What? Do you think the rocks are going to jump out and attack you?"  
  
"It's been known to happen," Link muttered, darkly. "Sorry, I guess I'm getting paranoid in my old age."  
  
"Apparently," Sheik said. "But we're almost there. Come o--" Sheik was cut off as Link pulled him to the side; out of the way of a scythe.  
  
Link drew his sword and shield, and Sheik his dagger, as they turned to face their opponent.  
  
She was about four or five years older than they were, with near- white skin, long ink black hair pulled into a top ponytail, and silver eyes. She wore a loose black bodysuit with a white belt and silver ankle boots, and had black markings around her eyes, neck, and wrists; the only color on her was her lips, which were painted the color of fresh blood. She carried a thin-bladed scythe as her main weapon, but also had a wicked- looking dagger at her hip.  
  
"Give me the Kagitou," she said, in a pain-weary voice. "And I'll let you live."  
  
"Why do you want it?" Sheik asked.  
  
"None of your business!" She shouted. "Give it to me, now!"  
  
"No," Link said. "In my experience, people who make demands like that rarely have benevolent reasons."  
  
She laughed.  
  
"Oh, you're right about that, little boy," she said. "My reasons are _completely_ selfish! Now give me the Kagitou, or I'll kill you."  
  
"You can try," Link replied.  
  
"Confidant little brat, aren't you?" She said, smirking.  
  
"I have every right to be," Link retorted. "Compared to some of my past enemies, you barely rank."  
  
Sheik was taken aback by Link's posturing; surely he couldn't be serious? The girl's aura exuded madness, but also a great deal of skill with her weapon, as well as a fair touch of magic. Sheik wasn't given enough time to analyze where he was getting these impressions of the girl from, because at that moment, she charged.  
  
"We'll just have to see about that!" She exclaimed, swinging at Link with her scythe.  
  
It was fortunate that Link jumped to the side even though there was a great deal of distance between the blade and his body, because a blur of dark wind shot from the scythe, and, missing Link, shattered the stone of the mountain face. The girl then delivered several swift slashes that were intercepted by Link's shield, keeping Link off balance enough that he hardly noticed when she switched to holding the scythe with only one hand, but Sheik did.  
  
As the girl's hand closed on the handle of her dagger, Sheik quickly pulled a wooden dart from his belt and threw it. The dart imbedded easily in the flesh of her hand, and she screamed. Having lost her advantage, she backed quickly away from Link, glaring balefully at Sheik.  
  
Before the girl could regroup, a hail of arrows peppered the ground between she and Link. She cursed under her breath, jumped up to a low cliff, and fled.  
  
Link and Sheik turned to find a group of bowmen riding towards them on the backs of creatures they had never seen before. Neither Link nor Sheik put away their weapons as the riders approached them and stopped their beasts.  
  
They were riding a creature that vaguely resembled a great cat, but their faces were more elongated and, with the exception of manes, their bodies were covered in scales. It took Sheik a moment to realize what these creatures were.  
  
"These are Rock Drakes, aren't they?" Sheik blurted out. "They're not easily domesticated if I remember correctly." The lead bowman; or bow- woman, rather, looked vaguely impressed.  
  
"You know your lore well," she said approvingly. "Especially for a foreigner. Yes, they are indeed Rock Drakes.  
  
"I am Dikaya, Captain of the Guard for Alua Temple," she continued. "State your business."  
  
"A man," Link said, reaching into his pack, and pulling out the Kagitou. "Asked us to deliver this to you."  
  
"The Kagitou!" One of the men exclaimed.  
  
"Shit!" another cursed. "Was that..?"  
  
"It could only have been," Dikaya replied, eyes narrowing. She turned to the two boys, fixing them with sharp yellow eyes. "What are your names?"  
  
"I'm Link," Link said. "And my companion is Sheik."  
  
"Very well," Dikaya said. "Link, Sheik, come with us, the Elder will want to speak with you."  
  
  
  
A/N: Ah, yes.my Anime background begins to show through. ^_^ Two words, terms, or names (I won't tell you which they are) in this chapter are Japanese, or at least Japanese inspired (I'm not sure if one of them is actually used in Japanese, but technically speaking, I think it would work).  
  
I am now going to initiate a contest:  
  
1: For participating at _all_ I will always notify you of TFW updates. (unless you ask me not to; though why you would ask me not to is beyond me...)  
  
2: If you can point out which words are Japanese, in the next chapter published I'll say that you recognized them.  
  
3: If you attempt to translate the words, I'll put you on a mailing list to send you any artwork I do for TFW (don't worry, I'm a decent artist) and I _will_ do some; I already have a picture of a Rock Drake...somewhere...  
  
4: If you can give the _correct_ translation of the words I'll draw you a picture of your choice (1 picture per word translated).  
  
Rules:  
  
This contest does _not_ terminate.  
  
You can participate as many times as you want, but you can only try to translate each word once, and you can only guess which words are Japanese once per chapter.  
  
E-mail all guesses to BloodRaevynn@hotmail.com ; under no circumstances should you put them in your review. If you put them in a review I will delete it and ignore all submissions from you from then on. 


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